Design Tobia Scarpa, 1968 – 2025 Limited Edition in onyx
“The story of this lamp begins in the world of marble, an ancient material for which a path of innovation was being sought. At the time, our project offered the necessary stimuli for the technological evolution of the machines used to work the material and, at the same time, integrated its demands, translating them into form. Back then, we had to get inventive and build the tools needed to produce the piece but today, those machines exist and have been refined to work even with the most delicate materials. I believe this lamp encapsulates a synthesis of knowledge, awareness, invention, and perhaps a touch of poetry. That’s why we called it Biagio, in tribute to the poet.” Tobia Scarpa
Flos honours Tobia Scarpa, a leading figure and undisputed master of Italian design, with a limited edition of 150 numbered pieces of the iconic Biagio (1968).
This new onyx version is crafted using the same techniques and in the same factory as the classic Carrara marble model. It preserves all the product’s defining characteristics but the rare, honey-yellow stone – reminiscent of amber – gives the lamp a warm, deep glow and a new material richness. Its beauty is amplified precisely by its very form and production technique. Each piece expresses a rare synthesis of nature’s perfection and human artistry.
Biagio is formed of a single block of white Statuario marble from Carrara, hollowed from within using advanced milling techniques. The disc is then shaped at the centre to define the circular base and cut into two parts, each of which becomes a lamp. Modern technology is paired with expert manual skills: the hands of skilled artisans polish the surface to a mirror finish, creating an impeccable finish. The light source is placed inside the concave, producing an effect that exploits the stone’s translucency and gently highlights the marble’s veins, revealing the soul of the material.
Tobia Scarpa challenges conventional forms and transforms an everyday object into a sculptural piece, poised at the intersection of art and design. The Biagio lamp – named in tribute to poet and friend Biagio Marin – demonstrates Scarpa’s deep understanding of materials and his ability to innovate within established production processes, implementing them with greater efficiency.
Each numbered piece bears an adhesive label with the lamp’s serial number and the designer’s signature. It is presented in robust, entirely plastic-free packaging: a wooden crate with a cardboard interior. Inside, a descriptive booklet and a certificate of authenticity, featuring a matching label with NFC technology, provide additional protection and guarantee.
Table lamp providing direct and indirect light, with asymmetrical distribution and variable light intensity. Materials: onyx. Light source: LED (E27, 2700 kelvin)
“I have dedicated my knowledge and abilities to companies. I do things the way I know how, and I try to be simple, without arrogance”, said Tobia Scarpa when he was awarded the ADI Compasso d’Oro for Lifetime Achievement in 2008.
Tobia Scarpa, the renowned Venetian architect and designer born in 1935, has inextricably linked his professional career to companies that have made the history of Italian design—among them, Flos. In a two-way dynamic with Sergio Gandini first and then with his son Piero, Scarpa became involved in production processes, introducing new—or old—materials interpreted with the extraordinary knowledge of someone who has mastered and understands materials and techniques. Thanks to the continuous and passionate research that has guided his projects, his design is often described as poetic. But this stems from his ability to look beyond convention and his drive toward anything that sparks curiosity. That is how he gave life to unconventional objects, independent of trends or ideologies, finding their expressive side in technique and function.
Together with his professional and life partner Afra Bianchin (1937–2011), Tobia Scarpa was a pillar of the Flos story from its foundation in 1962 up until the 1990s, contributing a body of work so rich in icons, design provocations, and process innovations that it defies easy summary or classification. Some thirty products that, when recalled, are a journey through history.
